The modern communications era has brought about a tremendous expansion of wireline and wireless networks. Computer networks, television networks, and telephony networks are experiencing an unprecedented technological expansion, fueled by consumer demand. Wireless and mobile networking technologies have addressed related consumer demands, while providing more flexibility and immediacy of information transfer.
Current and future networking technologies continue to facilitate ease of information transfer and convenience to users. The proliferation of local, regional, and global networks such as the Internet has availed a sea of information to society. These networking technologies have expanded to increasingly include wireless and mobile technologies. Through these networks, information can be downloaded to desktop systems, wireless systems, mobile systems, etc. For example, information available via the Internet can now be downloaded onto mobile wireless units, such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, etc. One such technology facilitating the transfer of Internet content to and from wireless devices is the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), which integrates the Internet and other networks with wireless network platforms. Generally, WAP is a set of protocols that accounts for characteristics and functionality of both Internet standards and standards for wireless services. It is independent of wireless network standards, and is designed as an open standard. WAP bridges the gap between the wireline Internet paradigm and the wireless domain, to allow wireless device users to enjoy the benefits of the Internet across both platforms.
Second generation wireless service, often referred to as 2G wireless service, is a current wireless service based on circuit-switched technology. In this regard, 2G systems, such as Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and Personal Communications Services (PCS), use digital radio technology for improved quality and a broader range of services over first generation mobile technologies. Third generation wireless service, often referred to as 3G wireless service, refers to a set of digital technologies that promises improvements in capacity, speed and efficiency by deploying new packet-based transmission methodologies between terminals and the network. Users of 3G devices and networks will have access to multimedia services such as video-on-demand, video conferencing, fast web access and file transfer. Existing and future services are, and will continue to be, provided by network service operators who make services and applications available to mobile device users via the network.
One particular service feature currently available for communicating information is a “push” feature (also known as a “notification” feature or “alert” feature). In a typical client/server model, a client requests a service or information from a server, which then responds in transmitting information to the client. This is generally referred to as “pull” technology, where the client pulls the information from the server. For example, entry of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) at a client device which is then dispatched to the server to retrieve the associated information is a pull transaction.
In contrast, “push” technology generally refers to a means to transmit information to one or more devices without a previous user action. Thus, there is no explicit request from the client before the server transmits its information, and therefore push technology essentially includes server-initiated transactions. Push technologies can be used in connection with various protocols and communication technologies. For example, some representative push technologies include Short Message Service (SMS), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Push, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), as well as others.
In accordance with the WAP push architecture, for example, content delivery is triggered by a push initiator (server), which sends a push message to the client to thereby notify the client of an incoming transmission. Based on the parameters in the push message, then, the client may start the downloading process to thereby download content from the push initiator. More particularly, after a download session has been established between a client and push initiator, a service indication can be delivered to the client, where the contents of the service indication may be presented to the user of the client (e.g. “Incoming advertisement, want to receive?”). Based upon the service indication presented to the user, then, the user can either to accept or decline the service. If the service is accepted, the content can be downloaded from the push initiator to the client. For more information on the WAP push architecture, see, for example, Wireless Application Protocol Forum, WAP Push Architecture Overview, WAP-250-PushArchOverview-20010703-a, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Whereas traditional push technologies are adequate to push content to clients, such technologies suffer from drawbacks. In this regard, conventional push technologies, such as that provided by the WAP push architecture, require client (or user of the client) interaction to effectuate the download of content from the push initiator to the client (i.e., end-user needs to accept the pushed content before the content delivery). And for various services and content, it is desirable to push content to clients without requiring an end-user to explicitly accept the content at the download time.
As a solution to the drawback of requiring end-user interaction to receive pushed content, service loading technologies, such as that defined by WAP, can be utilized by a client to download content without end-user interaction. In accordance with WAP, service loading allows clients to receive content without user intervention. In this regard, a push initiator pushes service loading content to a client, which upon receipt of the service loading content, automatically downloads (i.e., “pulls”), from an origin server, content identified by the service loading content. For more information on the WAP service loading architecture, see, for example, Wireless Application Protocol Forum, Service Loading, WAP-168-ServiceLoad-20010731-a, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Although service loading technologies solve the drawback of requiring end-user interaction to receive content, such technologies also have drawbacks. In this regard, subscribed/non-subscribed push type services (e.g., e-mail) are prone to spamming. As well known, spamming generally refers to the receipt of unsolicited services, such as bulk email. Thus, it would be desirable to develop a system and method of pushing content to a client without end-user interaction, while reducing the likelihood of receiving unsolicited services or content.
As is well known, many current techniques for downloading content over the air assume, at least to some extent, that such content is downloaded in one communication, or download, session. For example, current Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) techniques for downloading content in accordance with the Over the Air (OTA) protocol assume, at least to some extent, that such content is downloaded in one download session. However, if the client is downloading large content, the time to download the content typically increases, thus increasing the probability that the client will encounter some type of error or interruption in transmission during the download process. For example, end users can interrupt the transmission of downloaded content if such end users desire to utilize the client for an alternative purpose, such as to operate an application other than that receiving the content. Also, for example, an unexpected event, such as client error (e.g., dead battery, halt, crash, etc.) or network failure (e.g., out of the geographic coverage area, etc.) can interrupt the transmission of download content.
Conventionally, when content is downloaded in a single download session, if an error or interruption in transmission occurs during the download process, the client must restart the download process to completely download the content. For example, if a client encounters an error or other interruption in downloading content having a size of thirty-two mega-bytes over a General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) network, the client typically must restart the download to receive the content, even if the client had already downloaded significant portion of the content before the error or interruption. Several techniques, such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP) techniques, have been developed to recover a download session that has encountered an error or interruption. Such techniques, however, are merely designed to recover a download session that has encountered a network connection error (e.g., modem failure) and do not permit the recovery of download sessions that are halted for other reasons. Thus, it would be desirable to develop a system and method that is capable of not only pushing content to a client without end-user interaction and while reducing the likelihood of receiving unsolicited services or content, but is additionally or alternatively capable of recovering a download session that has encountered a client error, as well as a network error. It would also be desirable for such a system and method to be capable of providing fast authentication of a user desiring to receive content and justify that user has right to that content or service. In addition, it would be desirable for such a system to be capable of facilitating a user receiving paid content without having to repay for the content in the event a download session of such content encounters an error.